


Surprise date

by bunnysworld



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blind Date, First Dates, M/M, Meddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:34:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27556930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: Looks like Leon's had enough of everyone pining
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 154





	Surprise date

**Author's Note:**

> Again, all Jessie's fault. Even though there are no bedrooms involved in this, I hope you like it, hon. 
> 
> Sequel to [Another drunken night](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27540232)

Arthur sat at the table in the pub, not really happy. Leon would so buy him the next beer for making him go to the laundry place to pick up the things he needed for performance of his choir on the weekend. Nevertheless, he had hung it neatly over the back of a chair. 

Sipping his beer, someone who entered caught his eye. Merlin! What was Merlin doing here? Unsure whether he should wave Merlin over or pretend he hadn’t seen his housemate and crush and let him do his thing, Arthur busied himself with his drink.

“Arthur?” 

When Merlin stepped up to the table, Arthur had no choice but to look up. “Merlin! What are you doing here?”

“I was about to ask you the same. I have a date.” Merlin’s eyes fell on the clothes in the laundry wrapping on the back of the chair. “What?”

Arthur blinked. “I’m waiting for Leon. This is his choir stuff that he wanted me to pick up from the laundry.”

Merlin slunk into the chair across his. “Oh.”

“Oh?”

“That’s…you know how blind dates go, right?”

Arthur nodded. He had never thought much about meeting a total stranger. 

“You need…” Merlin continued, “A sign, something you can identify your person with.”

Blinking, Arthur frowned. “So?”

Merlin took a deep breath. “I’ve been writing back and forth with this bloke on the dating website. He didn’t have a photo up, but said he was tall and blond and had blue eyes.”

“Is it all just about looks?”

“No, but it didn’t sound bad and I liked what he had to say.”

Arthur didn’t want to hear that. Yet another stupid man who only broke Merlin’s heart in the end. “And you agreed to meet him.” He sighed.

Merlin was looking at him intently. “The thing I should have been able to identify him with was…him bringing clothes he’d just picked up from the laundry.”

Looking around, Arthur couldn’t see anyone else who had. “Oh…so you think that I…?”

“Arthur, what’s going on?”

“I…I don’t know! I’ve never touched a dating website in my entire life! And why would I pretend to be someone else? I’m just Arthur.”

They looked at each other for a moment and then said in unison “Leon!”

Merlin frowned. “But why would he do that?”

Looking at the table in front of him, holding on to his beer as if his life depended on it, Arthur took a deep breath. “He knows something…”

Blinking, Merlin tilted his head.

“You know how we pick you up from pubs again and again? When you are through with yet another internet acquaintance and think you need to drink yourself into oblivion?”

Merlin blushed. “I’m not proud of that.”

“It’s…you wouldn’t have to…if…” Arthur started to fidget. He’d never been good with words and revealing feelings to someone only left you vulnerable and sore. 

“If?”

Looking at his hands that were still wrapped around his beer, Arthur said lowly “If you could look around you instead of the internet…if…” Alright, maybe this was like ripping off a plaster and it would hurt less if he just said it. “If you wanted to date me.”

“Date…you…” Merlin echoed in wonder.

“Yeah, forget that I said it. I knew you wouldn’t be interested, that’s why I asked Leon not to say anything.” Arthur took a big gulp of his drink.

“What? I…” Merlin looked at him with those impossibly blue eyes. “I always thought…” He shrugged. “That you wouldn’t be interested in someone like me.”

Blinking a few times, Arthur frowned again. “What? Why is that?”

Merlin slumped back in his seat. “Oh, come on. I’m just the boy from the small town, I didn’t travel the world, I’m a bit nerdy…” He shrugged.

“What? Out of the two of us you’re clearly the clever one, you’re well-read, you’re witty, you know how to make something out of every little bit you have…” Arthur felt himself blush.

“And I do a lot of things nobody likes.”

Arthur leaned forward. “Like what?” 

“Well, there aren’t many blokes doing yoga. Or who like to go to ComicCon. Or play computer games…” Merlin shrugged. “See, nerd.”

“What if I liked ‘nerd’?”

“You…you do?”

Arthur nodded. 

“So what if…” Merlin squinted when he looked at him. “Let’s say…it’s your only weekend off and I got a ticket for ComicCon?”

“Let’s say it’s your only weekend off and I got a ticket to see the footie game?”

A slow smile showed on Merlin’s face. “I’d be sad, but I’d let you go because I know you’re feeding off the energy in the stadium and you really love going to the games.”

“You wouldn’t come along?”

Merlin shrugged. “Maybe once or twice…but it’s not really my world and I wouldn’t want to spoil your fun. And you…ComicCon?”

Now Arthur shrugged. “Are there still tickets available?”


End file.
